Combination rail gripper and plate.



J. MOIR & H. P. McFARLAND.

COMBINATION RAIL GRIPPER AND PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. 1915.

1,174,085. Patented Mar. 7,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

fi. E11 6 ai azzaf J. MOIR & H. P.- McFARLAND.

4 COMBINATION RAIL GRiPPER AND PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 19x5.

1 1 "74,085 Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Z795 "Wm Z'ke amazing 5 JAMES MOIR AND HARVEY P. MCFARLAND, OF BURLINGTON, IOWA.

COMBINATION RAIL GRIPPEB. AND PLATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedMar. 7, 1916.

' Application filed Ma 3, 1915. Serial No. 26,874.

To all whom it may concerna I Be it known that we, JAirns Mom and HARVEY P. MOFARLAND, citizens of the United States-of America, residing at Burlington, in the county of Des Moines and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination Rail Grippers and Plates, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing. I 7

This invention relates to a combination rail gripper and plate and has for its object the production of a simple and efficient plate which may be securely held u on a railroad tie and will at the same time firmly grip the rail and hold the same against accidental longitudinal movement.

Another object of this invention is the production of a simple and efiicient means for firmly holding the rail plate upon the tie.

A still further object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient means for biting into the base of the rail and thereby holding the same against acciden al longitudinal movement.

With these and other objects in view this invention consists of certain novel combinations, constructions, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a detailed perspective of a pair of the rail plates secured to a tie, the rail having been eliminated and the securing spikes also having been eliminated for the purpose of illustrating the construction of the rail plate. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through a pair of the rail plates. a portion of the rail being shown in section. Fig. 3 is an end view of a railroad tie looking at the inner face of one of the rail plates. Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 44, of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 55, of Fig. 3.

By referring to the drawings it will be seen that 1 designates a railroad tie upon which is mounted a plurality of rail plates 2 near each end thereof for engaging the parallel rails carried by the railroad tie. Each of these rail plates 2 is provided at each end with a depending semi-circular lip 3, which lips 3 are secured to the sides of the tie by means of pins or bolts 4 of any suitable or desired construction, the bolts or pins 4 passing through the apertures 5 formed in the lips 3. It should be understood that these lips 3 are adapted to fit snugly agamst the sides of the tie and in this manner will firmly hold the rail plates against lateral movement with respect to the railroad tie, the pins 4 assisting in holding the plates against longitudinal movement with respect to the tie.

Each plate 2 is provided with a plurality of spaced spike receiving notches 6 upon the outer edge thereof for the purpose of permitting the spike 7 to be driven therethrough that these rail gripping body portions 7 are centrally located with respect to the ends of the plates 2 and are formed of sufficient width to constitute a very efiicient and per: manent gripping device for engaging the base of the rail.

Each rail gripping body 7 is provided upon the under face thereof with a plurality of depending ribs 9 which are substantially V-shaped in cross section as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings and these ribs 9 extend transversely of the body 7. that is to say, from the inner wall 10 to the outer edge 11 of the-rail gripping body 7 and are adapted to firmly bite into the upper face of the base of the rail 12 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The outer ends of these ribs 9 are slightly curved as indicated by the numeral 13 in Fig. 2 for the purpose of facilitating the driving of these ribs into the upper face 14 of the base of the rail 12.

In assembling the plates under the rail it should be understood that the body portions 7 are placed over the face of the rail and are then driven toward the rail thereby caus ing the ribs 9 to firmly cut into the upper face of the base of the rail as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 and thereby lock the plates 2 in firm engagement with the rail. It should be understood thatthe inner faces 15 of the plates 2 are adapted to be normally spaced as indicated in Fig. 2 to prevent the same from bulging under excess expansion.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a very simple and efiicientmeans has been produced in the formof a combined rail plate and gripper wherein a railsupporting plate has been produced which is efiiciently anchored to the tie and wherein the rail plate is provided with means for efficiently gripping into the upper face of the base of the rail for firmly holding the rail against longitudinal bodily movement.

What is claimed is:

A rail fastener and gripper comprising a plurality of similarly constructed plates, said plates provided with notches formed upon thesid'cs thereof, downwardly projecting lips secured to the ends of said plates and adapted to hold said plates against transverse movement with respect to a supporting tie, a rail gripping body integrally secured to each plate and placed between said notches formed in the side ofsaid plate,

said notches adapted to receive spikes for anchoring said plates against longitudinal movement upon a tie and also constituting abrace against the ends of said rail gripping body for resisting the transverse movement of said plates upon a tie, said rail gripping body provided with an inclined lower face adapted to conform to the contour of the upper face of the base of a rail, said rail gripping body provided with an inner and an outer wall, substantially V-shap'ed ribs formed upon the one face of said rail gripping body and extending from the inner to the outer wall of said body'and said ribs provide'd with rounded outer ends for facilitating the biting of said ribs into the base of a rail.

In testimony whereof we hereunto our signatures.

JAMES MOIR'. HARVEY P. MGFARLAND.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each-,by addressing" the Commissioner of" Patents washington nl 0. 

